Crete, Days on Land & Sea

Daios Cove is such a stunning resort that leaving the premises during our 3 nights tay was quite difficult! That being said there’s so much to see an do in the surrounding areas of the hotel that venturing out really is a must. The hotel is located 50 minutes drive away from Heraklion airport in the North/West of Crete close to the pretty coastal town of Elounda.

I travelled with a group of fabulous travel journalists as part of an organised press trip and the four of us took full advantage of the hotel’s amenities, the spa, restaurants, bars and watersports but we also enjoyed two of the proposed day trips offered by the hotel. The first of which was an Catamaran trip to the historic island of Spinalonga.

Our day trip on the water was my favourite day of the whole trip. You regular readers will know already about my love for water, being on it, being it it, being near it, I am always happiest by the sea!

We were collected at the jetty within the hotel’s private cove and sailed out to sea for an hour or so to make our way to the famous island. The boat was pristine, a luxury catamaran with large lounging nets at the front, 2 cabin bathrooms and a few areas to sit and enjoy being on the water in the shade. We were treated to a yummy fruit platter and drinks on demand with a picnic lunch after our island visit too, all of which was super tasty and great to enjoy whilst looking down onto the stunning blue waters.

Spinalonga

After relaxing en route we arrived to the spectacle that is Spinalonga, a tiny little island that used to be attached to the mainland of Crete. The island was actually where the last leper colony lived as you may have read in books or seen in films. The lepers created their own community on this island that is only accessible by boat and even though it’s now completely inhabited there’s still a real sense of warmth and spirit on the island. It’s also incredibly beautiful! Gorgeous rustic stone buildings, pretty flowers peeking through the exposed brickwork and all the while stunning views of the sea below.

After wondering around the island for an hour or so, enjoying the beautiful scenery, we jumped back onto our boat to enjoy the fruit, picnic and a much desired dip in the Aegean sea. The water was crystal clear and with the sun beaming down on us the cooler May temperature was pure bliss!

Krista

Another great few hours spent away from the hotel was an organised trip to the quaint little shops and restaurants of the small Cretan town, Krista. We travelled there along with our Daios Cove representative in a much needed air conditioned minibus. The weather was gorgeous for the beginning of May so we all decided to spend our time mostly wandering around rather than dipping into the shops, that being said, I did buy some cute little bracelets and a jumpsuit. What can I say, I shop at speed 😉

The town was quintessentially Greek, that dreamy blue and white architecture with splashes of pink flowers. The exact image that springs to your mind when you think of Greece. With windy roads and very welcome puppies strolling along with us, every single corner was a picture perfect moment.

For more details of my recent trip to Crete you can read my previous blogpost about the hotel here.